August 09, 2021

1982 - June: Stray Cats “Built for Speed”

35 minutes

While many bands of the 80's were focusing on the synth-heavy New Wave or screaming guitars of Hard Rock, one band was taking their inspiration from the 50's roots of Rock. The Stray Cats came out of New York in 1979 and developed a devoted following quickly, but moved to the UK after hearing of a revival of the 50's subculture there. Inspired by the Sun Records artists of the 50's, the Stray Cats combined Rockabilly and Punk genres to form their sound.

The Stray Cats were a trio with Brian Setzer on guitar and lead vocals, Lee Rocker on double bass, and Slim Jim Phantom on drums. They continued to tour and record in the UK, and released two albums there in 1981 before turning their interest back to the States. Their debut American album, Built for Speed, was comprised of songs selected from their first two albums released in England, plus the previously unreleased title track.

The group benefitted from having both a unique sound and air play on the then-new MTV. Unlike most music of the time, songs were short and tight, without synthesizers or more modern sensibilities. Also, unlike the music of the time, everything was stripped down to the bare essence in this group. Phantom's drum set consisted of just a few pieces, worlds away from the massive sets fielded by prog rock groups like Asia and Rush. Brian Setzer wrote most of the songs, and had the distinctive look that would become associated with the group.

Unfortunately, Setzer also tired of the group quickly, and the Stray Cats broke up in 1984. Setzer would go on to be the concert guitarist for the Honeydrippers (with Robert Plant as front man). The group would reunite frequently over the years, and each member continued to tour either with their own bands or in support of other musicians.

The group continues to tour off and on today, and released a new album in 2021.

Built for Speed

This is the title track and the only song on the album previously unreleased. It is about cars, and hot rodding on the road. “Well I'm cruising low and I'm cruising mean, well I'm cruising slow in my dream machine. You're my hot rod mama and you're really built for speed.”

Rock This Town

An easily recognizable hit, “Rock This Town” cracked the top 10. This song was the introduction to Rockabilly to many people. It is about hitting the clubs at night, dancing the night away. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame lists this song as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. “We're gonna rock this town, rock it inside out.”

Baby Blue Eyes

A deeper cut from the album, this tells the struggle of a guy in love with a pretty girl he just doesn't trust. While in England, the Stray Cats attracted the attention of many famous artists including members of the Rolling Stones, the Who, and Led Zeppelin.

Stray Cat Strut

This track is the most famous of the Stray Cat's tunes, and received significant airplay on both radio and MTV. It reached number 3 on the charts. “I'm flat broke but I don't care. I strut right by with my tail in the air.” Setzer's songs are original but carry the sound of a 50's cover.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Flying Theme from the motion picture “E.T. the Extraterrestrial”

The film that made Steven Spielberg a household name was released this month.

STAFF PICKS:

Space Age Love Song by A Flock of Seagulls

Rob's staff pick peaked at number 30 on the Billboard charts. This New Wave group is out of Liverpool. When they couldn't come up with a name for the track, guitarist Paul Reynolds suggested the name because he thought it sounded like a space age love song. Mike Score's well-known hairdo was the result of a mistake after his hair was accidentally pushed down in the center before going onstage.

Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go? by Soft Cell

Bruce features the first hit from vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball, better known as Soft Cell. Tainted Love was originally recorded as a B-side in 1964 by Gloria Jones, but it didn't chart. Almond heard it when working in a cloakroom, and the duo started performing it with synthesizers instead of guitars. It was a big hit in the U.S. as part of the Second British Invasion. The extended dance version combined Tainted Love with the Supremes' hit “Where Did Our Love Go?”

Wake Up Little Susie by Simon and Garfunkel

Brian's staff pick hearkens back to the early days of rock with a cover of the Everly Brothers song recorded at Simon and Garfunkel's live concert from Central Park. The song did well and was part of the inspiration for Simon and Garfunkel's tour in 1983.

I Want Candy by Bow Wow Wow

Wayne's staff pick features a cover originally performed in 1965. Bow Wow Wow's version had both a rockabilly and punk feel to it. The lead singer was underage at the time, and the risque pictures on the album created considerable controversy.

COMEDY TRACK:

She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft) by Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed's cautionary tale reminds us that it is better to learn how to cook than to marry for food as we close out the podcast.

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By Rob Marbury, Wayne Rowan, Bruce Fricks, John Lynch

4.9

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